Mail-bag delivery apparatus.



, G. A. MAINS, DECD. e. H. MUELLER, Anmims'rm'rou.

MAIL BAG DELIVERY APPAEATUSi APPLICATION rmm mm. a. 1909.

Patented May 25, 1909.

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ATTORNEY.

G. A. MAINS, DEGD. G. H. MUELLER, ADMINISTRATOR. MAIL BAG DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mm. z, 1909,

Patented May 25, 1909.

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G. A. MAINS, DBGD. a. n. MUELLER, ADMINISTRATOR.

MAIL BAG DELIVERY APPARATUS. APYLICATION FILED MAR. 2. 1909.

Patented May 25, 1909;

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UNTTED STATES PATENT GEORGE A. MAINS. OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALE TO G. Hi MUELLER. OE SPOKANE, WASHINGTON; G. ll. WUELLER ADB'IINISTRATOR OE SA ID MA INS, DECEASED.

IfLl'alL-BAG-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application filed March 2, 1909. Serial No. 486,869.

stoppage of the car, and the object of the res ivcntioi'i is to provide an improved mechai' ism for effecting this exchange, and which mecl'ianism is simple in structure, and reliable in operation.

rl'ith the foreg lug objects in view, the invention consists in a novel construction and igement of parts to be hereinafter dc- .d and claimed, reference being had to s hereto annexed forming a part of this specification, in which drawings I l a perspective view showing the L application. of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan i Q 1 7' H v 4 X row, .i Q an era 18M, am i l a non elevation of the car fork. Fig. 5 1s a section on the line 5 5 of f-ig. 2. Fig. 6 1s a plan ew of the platform fork and its support. it x l is a 1 fan view of the car fork showing a mail-bag carried thereby. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

lo the drawings 10 denotes a railway mailcar, and 11 the door opening thereof. To the wall of the car, on the inside thereof, is secured hinge 12, said hii'ige being located adjace it to one side of the door opening, so that one of the members or leaves 13 of the hinge may be swung into and out of the car,

i it being, in the latter position, in contact with the door jamb, whereby its outward swing is limited.

The hinge membr 13 supports horizontally extending rod 14, said rod having a downturned inner end 15 which extends into a vertical opening in an car 16 on the hinge member. From the outer end of the rod extends a brace 17, which also has a downturned inner end 13 extending into a vertical opening in an ear 19 on the hinge member 13. The aforesaid downturned ends work loosely in the openings in the ears, whereby a pivotal support for the rod 14: is had, the axis of the pivot being vertical, which enables the rod to be swung into and out of the car through the door opening 11. The, rod 1% carries the car fork 20. said fork having a pair of arms 21 which are secured to the rod in any suitable manner.

At the terminal of the outer branch of the fork is a holder for supporting the mail bag which is to be delivered from the car. This holder comprises a plate 22 pivoted at 23 to said fork branch, and having at one end a hook 24 which receives the ring 25 on the bag 26 as shown in Fig. 1. The other end of the plate has a screw threaded stem 27 on which is screwed a counterweight 28. By this threaded connection the counterweight may be adjusted on the stem according to the weight of the mail bag. By properly adjusting the counterweight the plate 22 is balanced and prevented from tilting under the weight of the mail bag, whereby accidental disengagement of the hook with the ring 25 is effectually prevented. Secured to the top edge of the plate 22, and projecting therefrom so as to engage the fork, is button 29 which limits the downward swing of the weighted end of the plate.

The apparatus on the platform of the station is mounted on a standard30. From this standard project vertically spaced arms 31 which support the mail bag to be delivered to the car, said arms being provided with suitable clasps 32 engageable with the rings of the mail bag at the ends thereof. On the standard is also mounted a fork 33 to grab the ba 26 which is carried by the holder at the end of the car fork 20. The fork 33 is carried by a bracket 34 projecting from a sleeve 35 which encircles the standard, and is rotatable thereon for a purpose to be presently described. The shank 36 of the fork 33 is rotatably mounted in bearings 37 on the 1 bracket, and between said bearings, the shank has a crank bend 38 which lies in the same vertical plane as the fork, and engages the top of the bracket, and thus serves as a stop to limit the rotary movement of the shank, whereby the fork is held in correct position to grab the bag 26. By rotatably mounting the shank, the fork may be reversed so as to grab a bag from a car approaching from another direction. The lower edge of the sleeve 35 is notched at diametrically opposite points as indicated at 39, and from the standard 30 projects a pin 40 which is engageable with said edge for a purpose to be presently described.

Fig. 1 shows the position of the various parts as the exchange of bags is about to take place. Fig. 6 has been so located on the sheet with respect to Fig. 7, as to show the relative position of the parts shown in said views. The fork 20 has been swung out of the car, and the bag 26 to be delivered from the car is hanging on the hook 24. The fork 33 has been swung around to project from the standard into the path of the bag 26, and the bag 41 to be delivered to the car is held between the arms 31. Now, when the fork 20 strikes the bag 41, the latteris grabbed by said fork and thrown into the car, the impact of the bag causing the support of the fork to swing on its hinges. At the same time, the bag 26 is grabbed by the fork 33, and the impact of said bag causes the fork to swing around, the sleeve 35 turning until stopped by the engagement of the pin with the notch 39 which was opposite the notch engaged by the pin before this movement of the sleeve took place. As the two notches are diametrically opposite each other, it will be seen that the sleeve turns one half a revolution, and is then prevented from turning farther by the pin 40, and it is held in this position until the bag is removed from the fork, and the latter set for the next delivery. The edge of the sleeve, between the notches, is in the shape of a cam so that when said edge rides over the pin, the sleeve rises, and as the weight of the bag held by the fork is on the sleeve, a breaking. action is had on the latter, and it is thus prevented from turning too fast or with too great a force, and its coming to a stop after making a half revolution is assured. This slowing up of the sleeve also serves to prevent the bag from being thrown off the fork as it swings around with the sleeve. By pivoting the plate 22, the ring 25 is more readily disengaged from the hook 24, as the plate tilts when the fork 33 strikes the bag 26, and there is no danger of the bag sticking.

I claim:

1. In a mail bag delivery apparatus, a car fork, and a counterbalanced pivoted bag holder carried by the fork.

2. In a mail bag delivery apparatus, a car fork, a pivoted plate carried by the fork, a bag holding means at one end of the plate, a stem on the other end of the plate, and a counterweight adjustably mounted on the stem.

8. In a mail bag delivery apparatus, a standard, a sleeve rotatably mounted thereon, and having its lower edge notched and cam-shaped between the notches, a pin projecting from the standard, and engageable with said lower edge, and a fork carried by the sleeve.

l. In a mail bag delivery apparatus, a support, a fork having its shank rotatably mounted on said support, and a stop on the shank engageable with the support to limit the rotary movement of the shank.

5. In a mail bag delivery apparatus, a support, a fork having its shank rotatably mounted on said support, and a crank bend in the shank engageable with the support, and lying in the same vertical plane as the fork.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature Witnesses G. H. MUELLER, H. E. SMITH. 

